Miscolored Sight
by haikomori
Summary: Power without focus is wasted. Sight without purpose simply wanders. Pray no one sees those wandering eyes, because they could put whatever they wished before you. Focus that power, sharpen that sight, or all will be as ruins.
1. Neither Sleep or Wake

**No matter how hard I try, my first chapters are so short. Why can't I make them longer? I know my pattern will mean much longer chapters in the future, but why?**

**Enough of my complaining though. Welcome to a new, multi-chapter story! For those following my other TC story, I will update soon. This was has been niggling me all week though and I had to act on it. **

**It came to me in Philosophy, while I was doodling cats on my notes (Productivity FTW). I reflected on some things I heard about the old TC and how the writers might incorporate into the new series. **

**And then it hit me. And a truly _devilish_ idea it will be. What fun I'll have. **

**Content Warnings and such: I'm in my element, so expect much angst. Drama of course, with some family, friendship, and humor. Future content (of the NOT sexual variety) may bump this up to M. TygraxCheetara (though I much prefer her with Lion-O), and PanthroxThundertank to be expected. But this isn't a romance fic, so there may not be much. Some cursing, evil, violence, and overly cute things. **

**You have been warned. Read and enjoy!**

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><p><em>Always second best.<em>

"Come on, we can hide in the trees."

_Always second best._

"Lion-O, come on! I'd grab you if I could!"

_Always second best._

"How's her breathing?"

_And with good reason._

"Wake up!"

Lion-O's head snapped back with a loud crack, his cheek throbbing as he was reeled back in. He blinked, then blinked again, but the world refused to come into focus. Little orange balls of fire flickered against the black and blurred backdrop. Distantly, Lion-O's throat tingled and burned.

"I can't believe you!" Tygra's voice, deep from the darkness, was a roaring sound. It was closer to Lion-O than any of the strange images and distinct crackling, but still too apart from him. Wispy, despite its power. Unreachable.

"You just stood there and let her get hurt! You let her, you coward! You worthless, poor excuse of a-"

"Tygra, just shut up and get over here. Or do you want me to use my hands?" Another voice, still distant. Gruff and familiar.

"I know, all right! I know!"

And they were both gone and the static came back, stronger than before. His eyes caught flecks of gray around him. Ash that floated without purpose, before withering to nothing.

He heard her then. The shallow breathing and its long process for air. A delayed, raspy inhale. A gurgling noise, as if the breath itself was drowning. A pause. Exhale. Pause. Three seconds. Five seconds. Light inhale. Pause. Inhale. Pause.

A flash of light and a spray of blood that splattered his face made him jump, but as he went to wipe it away, he found nothing there. He shook his head, the world finally coming. He crashed back to it, his insides clenching at the impact of reality.

The blood had been all over him.

"What...happened?" Lion-O whispered. He peered over his brother's shoulder, his heart racing and breath caught in his chest.

Cheetara faced the sky, her eyes clenched shut and her body and face pale. Tygra leaned over her, bandages working fast, following Panthro's hurried instructions. Howling, crying, sounded around Lion-O, but he couldn't bring himself to search for the kittens within the background of black, blood, and fire. His chest was tightening further; stringing like a bow and his heart the arrow about to fly from his mouth.

Panthro caught Lion-O's eye and was on him in moments, barking orders and wishing he had arms. "We need water, now! Grab the canteens and fill em up!"

Lion-O was moving before Panthro finished, his shaking hands gathering the canteens and his gaze flickering from the containers to Tygra's back, to Cheetara, back to the containers, and Cheetara again. His legs hollowed out when he rose, a tree catching him as he stumbled.

_What happened? What. Happened._

_What did I do?_

"No, no, no!" Tygra screamed and screamed and the sound ripped at Lion-O because Tygra _never_ screamed like that. And he didn't want to look but his head turned and he saw where all the blood was coming from. It ran down her front and stained the grass black while it rolled down her soaked sides. The hole in her stomach was large and gaping, sucking Lion-O's air and leaving him winded.

Cheetara tried to breathe. Her mouth opened and closed but no air came in. Her eyes flew open and she stared at him. Panthro was yelling at him and Tygra _sobbed_, while Cheetara just stared at him. Watched until her eyes were glass. Clear. Beautiful and unseeing.

Dead.

"Lion-O!"

"It's all my fault..." Lion-O muttered to himself, leaning against the tree. His head throbbed and he knew he should be hurting, but he felt oddly suspended. Misted. The world crumbled from beneath his feet and all he could do was stand and watch. Tygra shouted something and glared and hissed, his eyes flashing and thunderous.

Cheetara was still. Moved like a rag doll as Tygra shifted in his place.

Utterly lifeless.

"Lion-O! Lion-O!"

Ice splashed his face and his eyes snapped open, bright yellow walls weaving with the dark trees of the forest. His eyes were clouded and thick with sleep, yet his heart raced. Every pulse rocked his body and he had to blink several times before the Berbil's dome was all he could see. His eyes felt oddly wet and he panicked, swiping an arm over them and hoping no one saw.

"What's wrong?" Lion-O jumped and whipped around, meeting a wide-eyed WilyKit. An empty glass was at her feet, little droplets near on the floor. Kit watched him with caution, a little farther back than normal. Lion-O swallowed and shook his head, pushing away from the wall he'd been resting on.

"N-nothing." Lion-O looked around but the room was empty besides Kit and himself. He stood up, wishing his heart would slow down. "Guess it's been a rough few days..."

"But you've been quiet since we left the elephant village." WilyKit glanced out the door as she said it, eyes looking longingly in the distance. She shook her head, looking back at Lion-O. "Did something-"

"How's Panthro?" Lion-O squirmed at the glare Kit sent him, but her shoulders relaxed when she answered.

"They're about to attach the second arm," she said, grabbing Lion-O's hand and dragging him outside. "And you need air! Anyway, we told him...well, Cheetara told him we could wait a little while for the other one, but he just said, 'I'm not like you kids who need forever and a day to recover from something as easy as arm replacement!' Then he just went ahead with the second part." WilyKit stopped and released Lion-O, spreading her arms out. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths of the night air.

Lion-O's eyes were on her, but his mind and chest tingled at her words. _So, Cheetara's okay. Good. Good... I don't even know where that dream came from but as long as it's not-_

"Oh! Look, there's Cheetara with Tygra now! Guys! Hey, guys-" Lion-O jumped and skidded down to Kit, clamping a hand over her mouth. She wiggled in his grip and bit his hand, smirking when he yelped and pulled back.

She glanced back at Cheetara and Tygra, waving her hand, but stopped when Tygra wrapped his arms around Cheetara's waist. Neither of them seemed to notice Lion-O or WilyKit, and Tygra and Cheetara leaned toward each other, slowly locking lips. WilyKit blinked and looked away, her cheeks warming.

And caught Lion-O walking away.

Kit chewed her lip and glanced back at Tygra and Cheetara as they fell back into the shadows. Then she turned to Lion-O, following him back inside the rounded house. He was utterly silent, and Kit wondered if she should have just left him there. _But he doesn't seem to chocked by it, _she thought, _I figured he'd by running at Tygra but..._

She heard the crunching of grass behind her and watched her brother running up to her, Snarf perched on his shoulder and an excited look on his face. There were some brightly colored fruits in his hand, but his eyes were missing the manic gleam.

"Hey, Kit! Panthro is about halfway done with that surgery now. Those little guys know how to work those machines and stuff! Bill's using this really cool, blue glowing-" Kat trailed off when he caught sight of Lion-O walking across the room, his shoulders slumped. Snarf mewed and Kat tilted his head to the side. "What's with him?"

Kit worried her brow, glancing at Lion-O. "Tygra and Cheetara were kissing."

Kat stuck his tongue out, shuddering. Kit rolled her eyes and kicked his leg, smiling when he hissed and hopped on one foot.

"What was that for?"

"Nothing..." she said, smile widening. "Sometimes you just don't get things."

"Oh, like you do?"

"You know it!" Kit stretched her arms above her head, but she kept looking at Lion-O, watching as he leaned against the wall and glared at the floor. She thought back to Lion-O's face when she first found him, twisted and worried as he shook from his sleep. He'd even clawed the floor then, but she made sure to hide those marks under her feet.

"C'mon, Kit! I found some more of those fruits nearby anyway. It'll keep us up long enough to see Panthro when it's all done!" WilyKat tugged on her arm and led her outside, even as she continued to look back. Snarf jumped down from Kat's shoulder and ran toward Lion-O, mewing as he went.

All Kit could see was Lion-O crouching down to pet Snarf's head before he was out of sight.


	2. Beneath This Mask

**Another new chapter! First, I want to thank everyone for the reviews, alerts, favs, and hits. Always appreciated! I also wish everyone a Happy Holidays!**

**I would like to point out a pun I thought of. **

**Cheetara. Cheater. Cheatara? /shot**

***back from dead***

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this longer chapter. The more I think about this story, the more pumped I become. And while I am not a fan of the TygraxCheetara pairing, I would like to know how I did writing it. I don't want my bias to seep in. **

**Read and enjoy! Thank you for your time!**

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><p>"How long should he rest?" Cheetara asked, smiling when Panthro grunted at her from the metallic gold table. The operating room was filled with multicolored, robotic bears, either rolling around or putting away their tools. The sound of mechanical, clanging parts and the smell of oil filled the air. Wrenches and drills and tools that Cheetara had no idea of their purposes, littered the room.<p>

Ro-Bear Bill's monotone, autonomic voice made her jump, "At least a week to recover."

"Please," Panthro sneered, pushing himself up. He brought his new, metallic hands to his lap, palms facing up. "Like I'll need a week. I'm made of tougher stuff than that!" His eyes did not drift away from his new, cold hands. He made fists with them; watched the metal fingers curl and rest at the edge of his palms. His upper arms tingled as he moved his fingers, marking where metal and flesh were sewn together, though he couldn't see it through the bandages.

"It's weird...not feeling things with these hands," Panthro muttered. He closed his eyes, Grune's frightened face flashing through his mind, and a surge of satisfaction hit him.

"Panthro?" Cheetara asked, walking toward him.

"Just getting used to them. Arms are a bit sore."

"Then you should rest," Cheetara said, touching his shoulder.

"I told ya, I'll be fine. Grune may be gone, but Mumm-Ra's army may be nearby, tracking us. Or Mumm-Ra himself. Or who knows what else, with outr luck. And I don't want to attract whatever's on us by staying in one spot too long." Panthro nodded at Ro-Bear Bill, rolling his eyes when the bear rolled over and hugged his leg.

"Where are the others anyway?" Panthro added. "I thought Lion-O would have wanted to watch the whole thing go down. This sort of thing seems right up his alley."

Cheetara's brow furrowed, but she managed a smile. "Well, Tygra took the kits to start packing up our stuff. We figured you'd want to leave as soon as you could." Cheetara's smile slowly fell, and she glanced outside. "Lion-O wants to go back to the elephant village... Tygra and I aren't sure why though. He tried to give us some reasons but... Well, he said he wants to help them rebuild their village." Cheetara paused, shaking her head. "Something seems wrong. He hasn't been talking much, not since we decided to come back here. He's avoiding Tygra...he's avoiding me."

Panthro nodded, narrowing his eyes and letting out a groaning sigh. "The Astral Plane is a strange place, from what I've heard. Maybe things were worse than those two cats said. Or Lion-O's just feeling the effects of it more."

Cheetara nodded, but the worry did not leave her face. Panthro's gaze lingered on her when he spoke, "We'll keep an eye on him, for now. But we need to give him time too. Space. Whatever his problem is, I'm sure we'll hear about it."

Cheetara nodded again, smiling at Panthro. She gestured to his hands and the bears started to whirr when Panthro stood completely. "I know you want to get used to them."

"Of course. Mumm-Ra won't know what hit him."

"Mumm-Ra's. Going. Down!" Bill cheered, pumping his arm in the air. Panthro chuckled, shaking his head.

"Got that right-oh." Panthro stopped and winced, glancing at his arms. The bears immediately gathered around him, humming and trying to push Panthro back to the table.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Just stings a bit. Now let me go." A shout boomed outside, silencing Panthro and the Berbils. Cheetara's eyes widened and she rushed outside, yelling back at Panthro to stay. Panthro shrugged her off and followed her outside. He wobbled at the doorway but shook his head, rushing out.

"What's going on?" Panthro stopped when he caught a glimpse of Lion-O and Tygra on opposite ends of the field around them. Lion-O sword was out and aimed at Tygra; Tygra's face a split of shock and anger. Tygra's teeth were bared but his eyes wide and shook his head at his brother.

"What's wrong with you, Lion-O?" Tygra snarled. "Whatever problem you have with me-"

Lion-O shouted and charged, raising his sword above his head. Tygra's eyes widened and he slowly pulled out his bolo whip, narrowing his eyes and entering a crouch. He took a deep breath, blocking out Lion-O's yells and focusing only on the sword-

As Lion-O plunged it into the ground.

"What?"

Lion-O snarled and ran his sword through the earth, the cut jagged and lumped with dirt. He yanked his sword free of the ground and whipped around, slashing at the air over and over. Lion-O paused, taking several deep breaths before lunging at the ground again, stabbing the earth repeatedly. Dirt flew and speckled his face, but Lion-O didn't even flinch, even as some shot into his eyes.

"Lion-O, what are you doing?" Panthro called. Tygra shook his head and sheathed his whip, crossing his arms, his shoulders tense. Cheetara began to walk toward Lion-O, startling the bears around the hut that were watching the scene.

"Lion-O...Lion-O, are you all right?" She hadn't even made it to Lion-O before his shoulders sagged, the rest of his body quickly following suit. His back was to her, but she saw him shake his head before straightening up.

Lion-O turned to her, his eyes wide, and Cheetara's chest tightened. For a moment, he looked lost, but as he continued to gaze at her his eyes darkened and his face closed to her. A thread snapped between them and Cheetara felt a hole rip into her stomach.

"What were you doing, Lion-O?" Tygra called from behind her. Cheetara jumped at his voice but Tygra came and put a hand on her shoulder, making circles in her fur with his thumb. Her chest warmed, but the chill in her stomach did not disperse.

The feeling only worsened when Lion-O gave the same blank look to Tygra.

"I was...training. I-" Lion-O pressed his hand to his forehead. "I guess I was concentrating too hard. After that last fight with Mumm-Ra, I feel like I need to get better. Stronger."

"But, Lion-O," Cheetara tried, "you're already strong."

He gave her a cold, blank stare before looking down and sheathing his sword. "It obviously wasn't enough." Cheetara felt Tygra tense beside her, but Lion-O shook his head, glancing at the bears. "I'm sorry I took it so far, I'll make sure it doesn't happen again." Lion-O's eyes moved to Panthro and a smile split his face.

"Glad to see you're doing well!" Lion-O hurried over to Panthro, even as Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthro's faces fell into surprise. Cheetara's eyes followed Lion-O as he led Panthro back to the hut. Her stomach clenched and she glanced at Tygra.

"Well, that was weird," Tygra muttered.

"Really now?" Cheetara raised her eyebrow, but he shrugged.

"What do you want me to say? He's the one acting different."

Cheetara looked back at the hut, _Was he lying? He said all that with such a straight face, but that's part of the problem, isn't it? And that bit about being weak... But Mumm-Ra can have that effect on people. And Tygra did say they wound up fighting in the Astral plane. The way he looked at me though-at Tygra-something just..._

"Cheetara?" She blinked and looked at Tygra, watching as his eyes shifted around. He laced his fingers with hers and led her away from the huts and bears, biting his lip. "We need to talk."

"About what happened?"

"Sort of. And sort of not, too." He paused, looking around before nodding to himself. He led her further away, down to the huts where their things were being kept. It was a bright, baby blue, with oval windows flooded with light, and it was here that Tygra chose to stop.

"The kits ran out to get some of those fruits. We've got some time," Tygra muttered.

Cheetara paused at a window and allowed the warmth of the sun to soak into her fur, taking a deep breath as it hit her.

"What is it, Tygra?" she asked eventually.

Tygra shook his head. "I think...do you think Lion-O saw us? At all?"

Cheetara's eyes popped and she felt her cheeks warm, but otherwise her face stayed blank. She looked away from Tygra and stared out the window, eyes flickering when several bears went by. "I don't know. Do-do you think that would be the cause of all this behavior?"

She jumped when Tygra was at her back, his arms wrapping around her waist. "I'd like to think it wouldn't." His breath made her ears flicker and she shuddered. "But, that would be naïve to think. Thing is, how do we talk to him about it if he did?"

Cheetara closed her eyes. "That's just it, Tygra. We don't _know _if he saw anything. What if he didn't and we bring it up? What then?"

Tygra groaned, easing away from her. "I know, I know. It's just...back there, I thought he was-" Tygra stopped and shook his head. "But if he didn't see anything we're just making it more awkward for everyone. And I just don't know."

Tygra stepped away from her completely and she missed his warmth. She watched him walk across the room, his brow furrowed and his hands clenched. "Things seemed all right after we left the Astral Plane. Even after all the things we saw and did...it seemed all right. But then, later, he started acting weird. I just don't get it." Tygra groaned and tilted his head toward the ceiling.

Cheetara narrowed her eyes and looked at the window sill, watching the dust flutter as she thought back to that night. _He's right. It _was_ normal. Lion- was fine. He was talking with Panthro and Tygra and everyone. But, something's nagging me. I don't..._

"Oh no," Cheetara muttered, her hands clenching the sill. She jumped when Tygra grabbed her shoulder, and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"What is it?" he asked, eyes searching hers.

She blinked and looked away, shaking her head. She pressed her fingers to her forehead, raking her claws through her fur. "When you left for the Astral Plane...before Lion-O followed you in, Anet mentioned a prophecy."

"And?" Tygra tried to catch her eye again, moving in front of her.

"In that prophecy, he told Lion-O that he would know a betrayal from you...unlike any other he's felt before."

Tygra blinked as she trailed off, her eyes now studying his. His mouth parted slightly, revealing the tips of his fangs, and he tilted his head to the side. Cheetara bit her lip, "He said that Lion-O would feel the betrayal before the evening bell. Did...did anything else happen on the Astral Plane? Maybe something bad that-"

"No." Tygra's voice was hard when he said it, and Cheetara winced at the pain that flashed in his eyes. He narrowed his eyes and turned away, his claws digging into the palms of his hands. "No, we resolved that. I thought-I mean, we didn't talk it out, but I thought that for a while we were past this. I don't think it's that. He seemed all right when we left."

Tygra's voice lowered and Cheetara had to lean in to hear him. She glanced at the floor, hating how he searched for a way he might have betrayed his brother. Something clawed its way into her chest-grabbed and squeezed her heart even as it raced away. She closed her eyes and thought back through the weeks. The signals she did not know she was sending...to either brother.

"Was there...was there something? Maybe I'm just missing something and I-"

"I don't think you are, Tygra," Cheetara said, breaking him from his thoughts. The chill that had started in her stomach made its way up to her chest before shooting to her head. The throbbing in her temples quickened and she sighed. "I don't think it's anything that happened there. Before-before what we did...Lion-O was happy. He felt like he accomplished something. Nothing was wrong."

"But," Tygra shook his head again, his eyes hard. "That only leaves..."

"I know. I know." Cheetara closed her eyes again and leaned against the window sill. "So...we are the betrayal."

Tygra growled and Cheetara's eyes snapped open. "No! I'm the one who-"

"I made the move, Tygra. I'm just as much to blame as anyone. Maybe even more so..." Cheetara muttered to herself. _If I had been clearer from the beginning. If I had shown my intent._

_But...but I-  
><em>

"I have a feeling he is not as angry with you as he is with me though," Tygra said. Cheetara heard the bitterness and anger in his voice. Her chest tightened further and she wondered when her heart would simply leap out and strangle her. "No, I'm sure he's blaming me for all this. It would make sense. Everything that elephant said would fall into place. Just perfect."

Tygra turned away and started pacing the room. Cheetara watched as he moved back and forth, jumping when he roared and slammed his fist into the wall. A deafened boom thrummed through the air before the vibrations settled, but Tygra kept his fist to the wall.

"After everything that's happened, all the things we've conquered! I mean-I mean, we got the _stone_. But because of this-this-he didn't even have a chance."

"But he did not know that." Cheetara sighed again. Wondered how much damage she wrought as the guilt pressed on her like lead. "He did not know of my choice. He knew none of it. And if he really did-really does feel this way."

"But he is _king!_" Tygra snarled, whipping around. "What more does he want! He has the power, he has the title. He has it all and he doesn't deserve it. And now, because of his inexperience. His-" Tygra's jaw snapped shut as Cheetara came and slapped him. There was no real force in it, but the action itself left Tygra's tongue heavy. His eyes darkened before slipping shut, but Cheetara was not done.

"I know...well, no, I don't know everything that has gone on between you two. But I do know that there has been this-this-unhealthy bitterness. This resentment between the two of you. I know you are angry and I know you don't think your brother deserves the throne-but if there is one thing I've seen in him that no other cat has exhibited, it's _heart_."

Cheetara paused, closing her eyes and biting her lip. She shook her head, gently grabbing Tygra's face and forcing him to look at her. "He may not have your strength or your strategies. He's younger and he makes mistakes. And I know...I know you want the throne. I know you want to make Claudus proud." Tygra's eyes fluttered for a second and he hated the way his eyes stung. He clenched his paws, digging until he drew blood.

"But he has something you don't have. That your father lacked. And that's compassion. He was willing to save the very same creatures we've all been taught to hate. And he did it on his own. And even now, while he is trying to pull together this group and bring us to defeat Mumm-Ra, he is willing to throw himself into another's battle. Another's hardship. To help them."

Cheetara's shoulders sagged but Tygra found her hand and squeezed.

"You don't believe in him, Tygra. No one seems to believe-they don't see what Jaga saw and-and I need you to see why this can't go on. Even if you can't voice it, for now let this anger rest. If he has seen, if he really is despairing because of this, then he will need encouragement. Not another fight."

Cheetara tried to make the rest of her thoughts, all racing and flitting in her mind, come together, but the energy escaped her. Exhaustion hit her in waves and the headache pounded harder. Tygra squeezed her hand again, and her eyes met his.

"Do you regret any of it?" he asked, his voice a whisper.

"Why would you even ask?"

He closed his eyes and nodded, bringing her to his chest and breathing in her scent. She closed her eyes and let herself fall into his warmth and his heartbeat, his own heart racing like hers.

"I don't know what to do, Cheetara."

She took a deep breath, her heart heavy. "Neither do I."

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><p>Panthro blinked hard, eyes watering slightly before the field came back into the view. Night had long since descended upon them; stars blinked and flickered above and beyond, and landscapes were black blobs in the distance. The Thundertank made its usual rumbles, bumping on the rocks every now and again, but otherwise it was calm. The elephant village was but a day away now.<p>

"Hunnnn..."

Which was good for Panthro's fraying nerves.

He glanced over at Lion-O. The young king's arms were crossed and he stared out the Thundertank, eyes flickering back and forth, watching for nonexistent attackers. Like the last few nights. Right there. Right next to Panthro.

All. The. Time.

"_You've only just gotten those arms, Panthro. You'll need someone to help you with the Thundertank." _

And before he knew it, Panthro had an unwanted 'helper'.

_Darn kids, making me out to be some decrepit old man. Even tried to drive my baby. Well, no way in hell that's happening. Now or ever. Bad enough Tygra had his hands all over her now I got this one trying to leap into the driver's seat. _

Panthro looked at Lion-O again though, really looked, swerving slightly.

"Watch out," Lion-O muttered, without even glancing at Panthro. "We're about to hit a rock."

Panthro's eyes shot back to the front and he grumbled, "Don't need help from you." But he turned regardless, silence falling between them again.

Lion-O was not being Lion-O in every other regard, despite his eagerness to drive the Thundertank. And it showed. His eyes were what bothered Panthro the most. They were dark and heavy, a deeper shade than the usual teal he had seen so much him. Dark, deep lines were forming underneath his eyes and his fur seemed...wilted.

"You know, if you really think I need someone to watch out for me, you can all do it in shifts. Looks like death warmed over when I look at you," Panthro tried.

Lion-O's words were the same Panthro had heard the past few nights, "I'll be fine. Everyone needs their sleep."

"And so do you," Panthro said. "You don't really think I believe you when you say you take naps the same time I do. No, if that were the case, you wouldn't look ready to fall over."

Lion-O narrowed his eyes. "Someone needs to watch for attacks."

"That someone doesn't always have to be you!" Panthro worked his jaw, glancing behind him before sighing. He lowered his voice, eyes hard on the road. "This whole group's been out of whack since you and your brother got out of the Astral Plane. First it was you ignoring everyone. Then it was Tygra and Cheetara ignoring you and you ignoring them. No one's talking and I'm getting a bit tired of dealing with all your little kiddy squabbles."

Panthro paused and took a deep breath, shaking his head. The headache was coming on. He could already feel the thumping in his skull. "I'm not...saying you don't have problems. But now isn't the time to be-I mean... What happened, then?" Panthro held back a sigh, _I'm losing my touch. _

"Nothing happened," Lion-O said. "I don't know why-"

"Don't give me that! You don't brood for days over nothing." Panthro hissed, tightening his grip on the wheel. Lion-O tensed but kept staring out the window, his eyes narrowing further.

"It's none of your business then," Lion-O muttered.

"None of my-now you listen here, I'm going out on a limb here, trying to help you out. I don't need your teenage bull-"

"I don't want to talk about it, all right?" Lion-O closed his eyes, opened them again. Aged years under two seconds and sagged under an unseen weight.

Panthro worked his jaw as the pounding in the back of his head spread to his temples. "Lion-O-"

"Tygra kissed Cheetara. Or...she kissed him. Or something." Lion-O's voice was hard and brittle, but there was no emotion on his face.

_Didn't know he could bottle it up like that. He's usually so fiery._

"So, there. I got, I don't know, betrayed. By Tygra. Or Cheetara. Or both. Does it matter?" Lion-O sighed and leaned against the cool metal of the Thundertank. "It doesn't...I mean, what am I even supposed to-"

Panthro wanted to roll his eyes, but forced his face blank. "Love's weird, kid. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't." _Although I didn't expect that. Here I was, thinking that girl was making the moves on you. Guess it goes to show... No! No, I'm not getting involved in their little drama! _ "But you can't let something like that hang you-what is it?"

Lion-O partially rose from his seat, eyes wide and alert. He stared out the window, eyes moving back and forth, following something. Panthro's fur stood on end and he joined Lion-O in the search, but all he saw was darkness and dirt.

"Lion-O," Panthro tried, trying to see something. But there was only darkness.

After a few more moments up, Lion-O lowered himself to the chair, still staring but no longer with hurried eyes. He leaned back into the chair, shaking his head.

"It's gone now."

Silence again. Lion-O did not speak again, nor did he prompt Panthro to continue. The night was lost to quiet and sleeplessness and shadows of creatures not really there.


	3. Ambush

**Another update, come and gone! The more I think about this story, the more fun it becomes. I've worked out some of the directions I want it to go and look forward to getting there with all of you. I hope you enjoy this chapter and the ones that follow! Thank you for the support.**

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><p>Sitting in the Thundertank was different than walking out in the world, as Lion-O learned when he stepped out and breathed in the fresh air. His steps wobbled and the heat that had grown the last few days spread down his spine before shooting to his legs. It hit in waves, one after another, each hotter and more nauseating than the last.<p>

The heat seemed centered in his face and in his back, pulsing and throbbing, but the worse was behind his eyes. It burned until his eyes watered, and his vision would fade to black with little warning.

He closed his eyes as another one of these spells hit him. He stopped moving, trying to focus on the grass beneath his feet and the gentle wind blowing around him. But the cold breeze could not stop his steps from wavering. He took a deep breath, shuddering from the effort. _Just go away. Just go away. _

"You all right, Lion-O?" He opened his eyes and looked around at WilyKit. He tried to smile, nodding but grateful that she walked up to him instead of asking him to come. She cupped her hands behind her back and peered up at him."You sure? It doesn't look like you're okay."

Lion-O shrugged, turning toward the sky and spotting the elephant village sitting at the top of the mountains. The stairs flashed in his mind and he held back a groan. _Walking on hard stone up a tall mountain. That sounds like fun._

_Well, the sooner I get started, the sooner I can collapse, I guess. _

"Are you excited to see the others again?" Lion-O asked, leading the way to the steps. He could just hear the others starting to move, their voices traveling the air. Lion-O wasted no time in getting to the stairs, only briefly glancing back. WilyKit followed him, pausing to wave at her brother before turning back to Lion-O.

"Of course I am! I love this place!" She smiled wide and ran ahead of Lion-O, her steps light and quick. Lion-O's chest tightened at the first stair but he pushed on, forcing his heavy legs to pull him forward.

"But I don't think we were gone long enough for me to really, really miss them yet. Not that I want to be gone long. But, you know! Maybe Aburn and I can work on a new song together! That'll be fun. Are you okay, Lion-O?"

Lion-O closed his eyes and nodded his head, his vision swimming and the corners fading black. WilyKit came and grabbed his hand, tugging lightly. He barely caught her eyes, but saw the softness in them. His heart tightened and he wanted to kick himself. _I shouldn't be acting like this in front of her. It's bad enough she and her brother know about all this. Now there's Panthro and I'm sure Tygra and Cheetara suspect something's up. I don't need to let her take care of me. _

_I'm stronger than that, aren't I?_

"Panthro says you haven't been sleeping much, so I guess you're just tired. Right Kat?" Lion-O blinked and looked around, watching as WilyKat hopped up to them, joining his sister's side. Lion-O allowed himself to be lead by Kit, idly listening to their conversation. His legs still burned, but their voices took the edge away.

"Well, the others are tired too then, cause they're all hanging back. Seriously, snails move faster than they do." Kat rolled his eyes, folding his arms behind his head. "Kit, will you pass some of those fruits we brought?"

"No way! I don't want to be all hyperactive when we get there-I don't remember half the things we do when we eat those things," Kit said, her free hand pressing against the bag around her waist. She scowled at Kat, shaking her head.

Kat narrowed his eyes, snorting and staring ahead at the steps. "Fine, be that way. I don't see why you like it here so much..." he muttered to himself. WilyKit glared at him, slowly lowering her hand from the bag, only to jump when Kat popped in front of her. "But if you don't want to eat one, why not give one to Lion-O? I'm sure he could use the energy!"

Kit blinked and glanced at Lion-O, but Lion-O shook his head. "I really don't think I should be eating that stuff. Once the buzz wear's off, I'll wind up dropping."

"Aw, come on, Lion-O!" Kat pressed, hurrying to Lion-O's other side. "It can't hurt. Besides, you won't be able to help everyone much if you're all tired, right?" Lion-O shifted his gaze away from Kat, swallowing and shaking his head.

"I just don't think it'd be a good idea." Lion-O blinked hard as his eyes throbbed again. It felt as if hot coals had been lodged behind his sockets. The village slwoly came into view, but Kat kept pulling at his hand, saying the candy fruit would help him more than hurt. Lion-O just shook his head again and again, rolling his eyes when Kat jumped toward Kit's bag, fishing for one of the fruits.

_Kids-_

The shadow flitted in the corner of his eye and Lion-O's fur stood up. He shuddered and grabbed WilyKit's hand, narrowing his eyes and watching the horizon. Both Kit and Kat slowed, walking at Lion-O's crawling pace. Lion-O looked constantly at his sides, narrowing his eyes and breathing hard.

"What's up?" Kit asked, glancing around herself.

Lion-O didn't answer her, eyes darting to his right when the shadow spread its wings before evaporating. Another shadow shot at his left and he turned toward it, taking a sharp breath.

"Lion-O?" Kat said, biting his lip.

"Something's here," Lion-O muttered. The kittens glanced at each other, looking around and trying to see what Lion-O meant, but the lion grabbed both their hands and pulled them forward. Each kitten let out a small shout, legs almost buckling at the sudden movement.

Shadows flew on either side of them now, circling them high and low. The shadows heads were like cranes, bobbing up and down, but pausing to stare, despite lacking eyes. Some flew right above Lion-O, moving in a perfect circle and staring down at him.

_They're sizing us up_.

Lion-O narrowed his eyes at that thought, glancing at the kittens. He paused and crouched, pulling the kittens back when ran too many steps ahead.

"Get on my back, it'll be faster!" The kittens scrambled, clawing and climbing up his back, their eyes darting around. Once their hands were secured around his neck, Lion-O straightened and jumped up the stairs, skipping as many as he could. One of the shadows darted up, flying higher and higher and casting him in darkness, only to disappear when it flew past the sun.

Lion-O locked his jaw and made another leap, landing at the bottom of the last flight of stairs. The kittens kept asking him what was wrong, their hands squeezing and clawing his neck. Lion-O stumbled when one of the shadows brushed his side, but shook his head and hurried up the last few steps.

_What about the others? Are they all right or are they fighting these things-_

A flash of light made Lion-O clamp his eyes shut, burning his eyes before fading away. He shook his head and squinted his eyes open, coming to a stop at the crumbled entrance of the village. The shadows were gone, not even dancing in the corners of his vision. He crouched again and let the kittens slide off his back, turning in all directions as he tried to catch some sign of the creatures.

_They were here one second...now they're gone. But how could they disappear like that? It doesn't make sense. They were right _here_._

"Lion-O..." He blinked and looked down at the kittens, eyes drifting to Kit as she spoke. "What happened just now? Were we in danger or something?"

Lion-O's stomach tightened while his heart clogged his throat. "You didn't see anything?" he asked.

"See what?" Kat said, tilting his head to the side. "Are you sure it's not cuz you're sleepy?"

Lion-O shook his head, pressing a palm to his right eye. The shadows had been there. Had felt so real and even brushed against him.

But the kittens hadn't seen them.

"Is that all it is then? Because I'm tried?" It didn't sound right to him; his voice was a whisper and he looked around, as if to be sure. He jumped when something grabbed his hand and he looked to see WilyKit staring up at him.

"Don't feel too bad about it, Lion-O! You meant well!" Kit grinned up at him, but her face was skittish. Her eyes would dart away from Lion-O's own, failing to meet his gaze. Lion-O's heart sunk into his stomach, but the thumping of the earth jolted him.

The elephant herd headed toward them, Anet leading the pack with a calm smile on his face. Anet blinked when he caught sight of the cats, but broke into a wider smile when Kit squeaked and ran toward them, waving her arms and shouting for Aburn.

Said elephant stepped away from the group, leaning down and holding his arms out for Kit as she threw herself at him. Kat snorted beside Lion-O, but started toward them anyway, barely hiding a smile of his own. Aburn grinned at Kat, rubbing the top of his head, and Kat laughed.

"Here so soon, kittens? Ready to make more music?" Aburn asked, nodding at Kit.

WilyKit brought out her flute, waving it in the air. "You know it!"

"What brings you to our village so soon, Lion-?" Anet asked once he reached Lion-O, breaking the lion from the scene.

Lion-O blinked hard, rubbing the side of his head and looking around the village. Lion-O paused, wondering if it would sound bad to Anet. "Well, we wanted to help you fix this mess, for one. Especially since we kind of...well, they wouldn't have come here, if not for us?"

"They?" Anet asked, blinking.

"The lizards," Lion-O said, biting his lip. _Oh, I don't think I have the mind power for this right now. _

"Ah, yes!" Anet said, smiling and nodding. "And the mess? They caused that?"

"Well, yes. They helped, at least. There was a lot of fighting going on." Lion-O's head throbbed, and he was sure he'd develop a twitch soon.

"Was there now? Oh-oh, I think I know what you're talking about. Well, that is very kind of you, Lion-O. Thank you."

Lion-O nodded, his head throbbing harder. "It's really the least we can do anyway." Lion-O closed his eyes, a wave of nausea hitting him in the chest. The burning heat slithered down his spine and bloomed at the base of his back, and the world tilted in response. Lion-O jumped when Anet grabbed him, his eyes snapping open.

"S-sorry, guess it's just been a rough few days," Lion-O tried, not meeting Anet's eyes. His ears perked up and he glanced back when he heard the others' voices as they finally reached the village. Lion-O's eyes drifted to Cheetara and Tygra, but quickly flew to Panthro before they caught him.

"Took you guys long enough," Lion-O said, shaking his head at them. He took a half-step from Anet, gently easing his arm out of the elephant's grip.

"Us? You're the one who took the kittens and ran ahead. We're not to blame." Lion-O's eyes flickered to Tygra, then back to Panthro, before he shrugged.

"Guess I just wanted to save time." Lion-O swallowed at the glare Panthro sent him, turning away and smiling at Anet. "So, how can we help you out?"

"Help us what?"

Lion-O's jaw tightened as he forced the words out. "We're here to help you rebuild your village."

"Oh! Of course, of course. Well, we could start clearing more of the rubble away. We've been moving from the back toward the front. Or was it at the sides toward the middle? Or did we start as a circle-"

"You know what, I think we'll just go where it looks like there's rubble.," Panthro said, scowling as he stepped forward. "All right then?" Panthro paused and glared at Lion-O, said cat becoming more and more aware of how wilted he must have looked. He didn't even need a mirror to know his eyes were awful, and the continuous burning could not be a good sign.

Still, he would not be put to rest so easily. _I have too much to do. I need to help the elephants and I-I need to figure things out for myself and I-_

"You're not helping," Panthro said before Lion-O could voice any of these thoughts. Lion-O blinked, mouth dropping as Panthro simply turned and walked away.

"What do you mean I'm not-"

"You're dead on your feet, boy. You're more likely to hurt yourself than be any real help." Panthro didn't even glance back at Lion-O when he said it, and Lion-O swore he felt Tygra and Cheetara's eyes on him.

He growled, a vein pulsing in his forehead, but Anet startled him out of his anger. "Lion-O, if we could speak a moment?"

Lion-O blinked at the request, trying to ignore the surge of relief that flooded his chest. Taking a deep breath, he nodded and followed Anet. The elephant led him away from the others, toward one of the more intact stone huts. Lion-O shuddered at another wave of heat, black descending on his vision. Lion-O leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, waiting for the wave to pass.

"What did you want to talk about?" Lion-O asked, again not meeting Anet's eyes.

"You seem troubled, Lion-O. And quite tired." Anet smiled at him though, gesturing to the inside of the hut. "But, I think you'll be able to rest here. It's nice and away from most of the moving. I'll send for one of the others to bring you a bed. Some blankets or-"

"I don't need to rest," Lion-O said. "I really don't."

"But your friend, Panthro, said you were tired."

_Oh, sure, you remember that._

Lion-O shook his head, smiling a bit at Anet. "I really appreciate it, but I can help. I just need to-to do something. Take my mind off a few things."

"What sort of things, Lion-O?" Anet pressed.

Lion-O's gaze fell to the floor and he shrugged. His throat dried and he studied the ground. "I told you before, right? That the prophecy you talked about didn't come true. Or vision or whatever you want to call it." Lion-O paused, narrowing his eyes. Cheetara, leaning into Tygra. Tygra leaning down. Their eyes misted before they met in a kiss.

His heart throbbed and he shook his head. "Well, it came true." Lion-O closed his eyes. "Tygra betrayed me. Cheetara...I don't know, I thought that she was-but then she kissed him and I just-" _Shut up, shut up. Why are you talking about this? Who cares if he had the vision, it's none of his-_

"My vision?" The elephant tilted his head to the side, his eyes widening. "Ah..." Anet gave Lion-O a soft look, a sad smile on his face. "I see. And you are not taking it well."

"No. No, I don't think I am." Lion-O pushed himself off the wall, pacing around. There was a crash outside but Lion-O didn't even flinch, just staring at the floor, watching his feet as he stepped back and forth. His eyes clouded once again and the incessant throbbing returned. Every part of him ached-the heat had since slid into his arm muscles. Blood pooled in his fingertips and dragged his hands down.

And his head just pounded.

"I don't understand. I mean, she sent all those hints, all those signals! And then-then-Tygra must have done something. Said something. I thought she liked me but-but she kissed Tygra! I don't get it!" Lion-O shook his head, stumbling a bit.

_I don't get why I'm so weak._

Anet straightened up, shaking his head. "Calm yourself, Lion-O. As I said, rest is your best bet. It will help clear your head. Allow you to think more clearly."

"No. No, I can't sleep." Lion-O turned away, taking a step outside. His eyes fluttered closed as a breeze hit his face, and he thought his fur sizzled when it hit. His right eye throbbed, a spasm forming in the lower lid. "I can't sleep."

_I don't want to see her die again. I don't...I don't understand this at all._

"Why not?" Anet's tone changed. It was cautious. Uncertain. Lion-O's heart quickened at the sound and he took another step away.

"I just-I've had too much on my mind." _Why are you panicking? _"It's not a big deal. I think I'm at that point where I'm too tired to be tired." He tried to smile, but his mouth wouldn't move. His lungs tightened and he choked on his breath. _Stop freaking out._

Lion-O shook his head, blinking the black out of his vision. His heart raced and raced. The organ jumped into his throat and back down into his chest; leaped into his stomach and crawled along his ribcage. He could feel its every pulse. The swish of the blood in his veins. And the heat. Everywhere. It burned his eyes and chest and everything it touched.

"Lion-O."

_Stop panicking. Nothing's wrong. _

"But there is."

Lion-O looked up at the new voice, eyes darting to find the owner, but there was no one in front of him. But the voice had been there, right in front of him. A child's voice. _Are the kittens messing with me now? _

"Lion-O!"

"You're looking in all the wrong places. It's all inside you." Lion-O whipped around, determined to find the child. _Do the elephants have children around?_ _But, I didn't see anyone follow us. Where are you?_

There was no one though. No one in front of him. Nothing but air.

_They can't be that fast. There's no way. _

He stood, ready to move, only for his body to shudder. He threw an arm out, catching himself on the wall as the world exploded in black and white and dusty pink. Heat pressed him on all sides and his legs rebelled; buckled and sent him crashing to the ground. Lion-O hissed and shook his head, even as a cleaver came down and split his head in two.

The world tilted before being swallowed in darkness. Lion-O shuddered and shook before forcing his eyes open. Behind him, there was a boom; the explosion loud. Deafening. It shook the earth and his body, his insides trembling. Heat, heat, heat, more and more heat, only this time it was at his back.

Lion-O turned and his throat closed before he could scream. Or shout. Even sob. The sound knocked out by the explosion, leaving him a panicking, shallow-breathed mess.

The hut behind him was engulfed in fire, flames licking the wall and painting the stone in dark, black soot. Stone had cracked and tumbled down, hundreds of hundreds of pounds, landing on Anet. The elephant was still under the rubble, his hands outstretched but head crushed under the weight, and Lion-O's throat clogged.

_He pushed me out of the way. No, no, he pushed me-_

Shrill screams made him look around and his eyes popped. Gunfire. Cannons. Mechs. Fire. Fire. Fire. The elephants and the cats were scrambling to get away from the inferno the lizards were spreading and Lion-O shook his head. The scream choked him but couldn't escape. Lion-O's hands fumbled on the hilt of his sword and more lizards poured into the yard.

Shouts and small explosions fired all around him and Lion-O thought he would lose himself in the noise alone. He brought out the Sword of Omens and charged into the fray, knocking back who he could and searching for a familiar face. _Even Tygra. Even show me Tygra. I don't mind. I don't mind. Come on, someone. Please, be all right. _

Tygra weaved out of the fray as if to answer Lion-O's thoughts, as he always did. Always there, even when Lion-O didn't want him to be. And always when Lion-O needed him. Tygra's eyes caught Lion-O's and Tygra started toward him, his whip in one hand and gun in the other. Lion-O swung at one unlucky lizard, shoved another out of the way, and ran toward Tygra. Opened his mouth, ready to shout a question or form a plan or just say, _"Thank you for not disappearing." _

Lion-O saw it before Tygra did and Lion-O knew without knowing that it was over. Over because even as he shouted for Tygra to move, reaching to shove his brother out of the way, the gun fired. Tygra didn't see it. His eyes were trained on something behind him, and Lion-O felt a strong breeze.

Another shot.

That same hole that ruptured when Claudus fell, and Lion-O reached but couldn't touch, ripped open again. The air exploded from Lion-O's lungs but this time there were two grunts. One behind and one ahead of him. Lion-O watched as Tygra's armor cracked open, shards flying from his chest. Tygra's eyes widened and his mouth just dropped. Blood sprayed and splattered and Lion-O felt something warm trickle down his back as well. Something hit him from behind and sent him flying to the ground, his sword knocked from his hands.

He grunted and tried to wriggle as the body crashed into him, but he couldn't move. His muscles screamed before giving out, dead and useless to him now. His ears flickered at the second thump. Tygra had crashed but Lion-O couldn't move to help him. Couldn't run to save him. His heart pounded faster and his stomach churned.

Lion-O glanced to his side when an arm fell down from above him. He blinked at the spots. The yellow fur. He shook his head at the staff that rolled a few feet away and his throat tightened as the blood continued down his back. More fire and more shots erupted around him, but he sat, pinned, under Cheetara.

_No. No. This can't be happening, this isn't-_

He crammed his eyes shut and groaned. Bit back a sob and choked on his rising vomit. Tygra sat feet away from him, his face in the grass and his eyes clear. In seconds Lion-O was alone, surrounded by death and fire and so much _heat_.

Voices and hisses formed above him. His eyes widened and he shook his head, but a green hand came and threw Cheetara off of him. His eyes burned as she rolled away from him. Still. Motionless.

The lizard grabbed Lion-O's face and yanked him up; this reptile's eyes were yellow and cold. Lion-O tried to glare or plead with them, not sure which. He searched for something in those eyes that just stared at him.

Found nothing in them.

The gun was in his face before Lion-O can blink. His breath caught in his chest and his father's voice-he could hear his father's voice. A thrum of words Lion-O could not sort out with metal in his face. His heart stopped beating, knowing the end before his brain even grasped the thought.

_Bang._


	4. Shrill Screams, Dull Eyes

**I am sorry this is so late. A hiatus in the show will do that to you. But college is ending in a week, the show is back, and I am bursting with eagerness and new ideas! I hope all the readers will be patient with me as a adjust to a more stable writing schedule again. And, as always, I look forward to any feedback. **

**Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

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><p>"Why isn't he waking up?" Tygra growled, kneeling beside his brother. Cheetara shook her head, wincing when Lion-O gave out a loud, shrill scream, throwing his head from side to side. Tygra snarled and shook Lion-O for the seventh time, but Lion-O remained unresponsive.<p>

"Tygra, please let me see him," Anet said, trying once more to reason with the tiger. Cheetara glanced at Anet and nodded, crouching next to Tygra and tugging him away. Tygra tried dug his claws into Lion-O's fur, but Cheetara gently pried them away, shaking her head.

"We need to let Anet look at him, all right?" she said, glancing outside the hut. She spotted Panthro with the kittens and Snarf, talking with them and trying to lead the twins away. Cheetara caught Kit glancing behind Panthro, her eyes wide and worried.

"Please, Tygra. The kittens are looking. Maybe you can distract them?"

Tygra locked his jaw and slowly eased away from Lion-O, swallowing as he went. He stared hard at Cheetara, nodding once before stumbling out of the hut. He kept looking back, even once he reached Panthro and the kittens, and Cheetara bit her lip.

"What's wrong with him?" Cheetara asked, tearing her eyes away from Tygra and watching Anet's face. The wizened elephant remained silent, cradling Lion-O's head and leaning toward the lion.

Lion-O gasped, throwing his chest in the air and letting out a harsh sob. Cheetara's ears stung and she clenched her hands to keep from covering her ears. The sound continued though, each more strained and rasped than the last cry.

"Please, tell me what's wrong with him-"

"He dreams," Anet said, voice low. "But it is a nightmare. A terror." Cheetara tilted her head to the side and crouched lower, trying to catch Anet's eye. The elephant didn't see her though, even once she sat right in front of him. Anet's old eyes were narrowed and glazed; they bore into Lion-O even as said cat thrashed and howled.

"A place far and unreachable, yet stands just before him. In the eye, set in gold, it waits. Pulls him in both directions but conceals the last choice. Lost beneath the ripples, set deep within the pit. Many heartbeats, but only one is true."

_Is...is he having a vision? _Cheetara watched, both fascinated and horrified as Anet's eyes took on a pale glow before the light blew out. Anet's eyes were wide and he shook his head.

"I'm sorry. I was..." Anet didn't finish, his gaze flickering back to Lion-O. Anet closed his eyes and the air shifted. Cheetara felt ice prick her spine. She watched Lion-O scream again, slamming his hands into the stone. Anet shuddered and Cheetara thought she heard a small gasp from the elephant.

Anet placed his hand on Lion-O's head. Muttered, "Sorry, Lord Lion-O." Cheetara's throat closed and the air shifted again. Anet's eyes glowed again, and Cheetara's mouth dropped.

_Is-can he be in his dream?_

Her eyes widened when Lion-O jolted. Anet snapped his hand away, clutching it to his chest and breathing hard.

Lion-O screamed. He screamed and screamed until his voice cracked and broke. Cheetara could see the pulse on his neck, thumping fast and hard against the fur. His face haunted her though. Teal eyes were wide and quivering, tears falling down either side of his face. His breathing shook and he choked on the air, bringing shaking hands to his chest. Slowly, his hands found their way to his head. Claws raked through the fur before Lion-O brought his hands to his face, eyes roving his palms.

Lion-O let out one last gasp, hands falling to his sides while his eyes fluttered shut.

Cheetara glanced at Anet, but the elephant only watched Lion-O, eyes following every movement and breath. Cheetara looked at Lion-O too, scooting toward him and leaning over him. Her hair brushed over his face and he flinched, eyes jumping to her.

"Lion-O," Cheetara said, her voice soft. "What happened? Can you-" She stopped, eyes widening when Lion-O's hand came and touched her face. His thumb was light on her cheek and he paused there, staring into her eyes. Lion-O's eyes shifted, lighting up a bit before he lowered his hand.

"Well, this is..." They both jumped at Tygra's voice and Cheetara's chest tightened, but Lion-O sat up without a word. Anet continued to watch him, staying silent, and Cheetara took a shaky breath.

Lion-O put two shaky hands to the ground and shoved himself up, stumbling slightly and falling against the wall. Tygra jumped and stepped toward him, but Lion-O cut him off with a stare, focusing on Tygra's face.

Tygra stiffened at the look. "What do you want-" Tygra stopped, his eyes widening when his brother pressed a hand to his chest plate. Lion-O's claws lingered on the armor, his eyes wide and unblinking. Tygra swallowed, glancing at Cheetara before looking back at Lion-O.

"L-Lion-O, are you..." Tygra trailed off, looking away. Lion-O didn't seem to hear him, only staring down at the the armor before his eyes traveled to Tygra's face. The tiger could feel his brother's eyes on him and he took a deep breath, glancing from Lion-O to the wall.

"Is there something on my face or something?" Tygra managed, blinking hard.

"No. No..." Lion-O rasped and Tygra had to close his eyes when his brother's screams cracked through his mind again. A horrible, strangled sound. Tygra glanced at Lion-O again, catching the faint drops of tears on Lion-O's cheeks. Lion-O's hands still shook and his legs wobbled, eyes tired and dull.

"Lion-O..." Tygra licked his lips, looking at Cheetara, eyes pleading.

"I..." Tygra's eyes snapped back to Lion-O when he spoke, but the lion's words died off before they truly formed. Lion-O tried again, opening his mouth, closing it, and opening it again. "I'm...sorry." Lion-O squinted his eyes, shaking his head. "I-"

"Lion-O." Both cats jumped and glanced at Anet, the elephant pushing himself off the floor and giving Lion-O a long, hard look. "I think you and I should speak. There's something important we need to discuss."

Cheetara shook her head, stepping forward and grabbing Lion-O's shoulder, but Anet held up his hand. "Do not worry. I'll be taking him to get some rest too. I'm sure he needs it after his ordeal." Anet looked back at Lion-O, nodding and holding his hand out for the cat. "Come, I think it's best to move you to a bed instead of the ground. Our hospital wing will have something to help you sleep as well."

Lion-O's eyes widened and he shook his head, taking a small step back. "I really don't think that's for me right now. I'm sure I can-"

"There is a salve, developed by one of our village's best healers. It will grant you a dreamless sleep, Lion-O. This I can promise. And the matter we need to discuss...is an important one."

Lion-O blinked and half-turned toward Cheetara and Tygra, but paused, stumbling a bit. He took a deep breath and nodded, swallowing hard. "All right. All right, I'll come. But...I don't want to talk about anything, all right? I just-tell me what you have to and give me some of that salve." Lion-O trailed off, narrowing his eyes. "And you're sure I won't have any dreams?"

"Positive," Anet said, his eyes soft. Lion-O nodded again and followed Anet out of the hut. He threw Tygra and Cheetara another glance before disappearing completely. Tygra stepped toward Cheetara, watching his brother's back had been.

"That...was frightening," Cheetara mumbled.

"I've never seen him like that before," Tygra said, shaking his head. "Not even after father died. His dreams have never been so vivid, so bad, to make him do that."

"Which makes me wonder why he's having them," Cheetara said, walking toward the entrance of the hut and leaning against the frame. "He hasn't been sleeping well, that much is certain. The past few days he's been-"

"Slogging around, pretending to be alert? Yeah, I know."

"He says he's always first to rise but he's always with Panthro when he drives at night, too. Could it really be the exhaustion causing all of this?" Cheetara shook her head, her own answer sounding flat. Tygra watched her for a moment before walking behind her and grabbing her hand, making her jump. She glanced at him and nodded, looking back out the hut.

"I've never seen him like this before," Tygra repeated, his voice quiet. Cheetara heard the slight waver in his voice and closed her eyes.

"He will be all right, Tygra. I will be sure of it. _We_ will be sure."

"He doesn't want my help," Tygra said. "I don't need to be a genius to know that. He saw. He must have seen. And if he did-"

"Tygra."

"Don't say that he didn't, Cheetara. We both know-"

"No. No. That-that is something we need to talk about later. But when you left to distract the kittens, Anet...something happened to him."

"What?" Tygra's eyes flickered to Panthro, the giant cat still talking with the kittens but sending glances and glares their way.

"He went to wake Lion-O up but-but his eyes started to glow. He said something-it sounded like another of those visions. I'm sure that's what he and Lion-O are talking about now. And I think it's fair to say it has something to do with Lion-O's dream. Whatever it was."

"You sure?" Tygra narrowed his eyes a bit, his chest tightening. "That elephant can be really vague about things. Maybe he twisted some thing around in his last vision and he..." Tygra trailed off at the look Cheetara gave him and he sighed. "I know I shouldn't say that. I know..."

"Even if it has nothing to do with this," Cheetara said slowly, watching Tygra for another outburst, "we'll need to know what it's about. I only heard the words, but I didn't see whatever Anet saw."

"What did he say?"

Both cats jumped when the kittens shouted and started running toward them, Panthro standing upright and shaking his head. Panthro paused and glared at the two of them, mouthing the words, "We need to talk."

"Later," Cheetara muttered. "When we're with Panthro."

Tygra opened his mouth to protest but the kittens swarmed around them, asking if Lion-O was okay and why he had been screaming so much. Tygra sighed and looked down at WilyKat, crouching next to the kitten.

Lion-O's screams still echoed in his head.

* * *

><p>Lion-O took another deep breath as he and Anet finally arrived at the hospital wing. His heart raced, each thrum of his pulse racking his body. His arms still shook and his feet were unsteady as he walked; tripping on nothing and leaning against walls when he came to them.<p>

"Anet, I really just-what happened? I thought-I really thought-" Lion-O stopped, his mouth hanging open as the words fled from him. Everything was scattered and he couldn't grasp his thoughts. They slipped between his fingers, dancing in front of his face before slipping back into the fires and cold, yellow eyes.

"Lion-O, please...calm yourself." Anet patted Lion-O's shoulder before steering him further into the room. Several large beds sat pushed against the stone walls, but Lion-O's heart tightened at the sight, despite the exhaustion rubbing at his eyes.

Anet sensed Lion-O's hesitation and nodded, gently pushing the cat to the nearest bed and reaching for one of the cabinets hooked to the wall. Lion-O watched as Anet pulled down several bottles and bowls, letting his body sink into the mattress.

"I know you're shaken, Lion-O. And I don't blame you. The dream you had caused just as much turbulence outside as inside."

"I figured," Lion-O said, trying to smile.

His lips only twitched.

Anet pulled a small table over, placing a mortar and pestle and several bottles on it. All the bottles were filled with liquids and powders that Lion-O didn't know. Anet set to work, pouring the ingredients in and grinding them together with the pestle. Lion-O stared at his lap and listened to the sounds; the soft scratch of grainy powders and the swishing of the liquids.

"Something else happened when I tried to wake you up," Anet said, startling Lion-O.

"What do you mean?" Lion-O asked, throat closing. He breathed through his teeth, clenching his hands.

"Another vision. This one...far different than the ones I've seen in the past."

Lion-O nodded, digging his claws into his fur. His heart picked up and he started to bounce his leg. "Is that bad?" Lion-O asked, eyes flickering to Anet.

The old elephant shook his head, grabbing a spoon and churning the liquid three more times before holding the vial to Lion-O. "We can speak of it more once you've properly rested. The more I watch you, the more I see you need it. The last thing we want is to tax you further. And as you are now, you won't be able to-"

Lion-O managed a low chuckle, nodding and turning the vial in-between his fingers. "Don't worry, I get it." Lion-O narrowed his eyes at the liquid as it turned from clear to lavender. The shadows and fires he had seen that day flashed in his mind and his throat tightened. "And this will really make em sleep? Without any dreams or nightmares?"

Anet's face softened. "Yes, Lord Lion-O. A dreamless sleep."

Lion-O's shoulders eased. He brought the vial to his lips and threw the liquid to the back of his throat. The sharp bitterness lit a fire in his throat and he nearly gagged. He clamped a hand over his mouth and waiting, lowering down the over-sized bed when he was sure the potion would stay down.

"I'm sorry for the trouble," Lion-O said, staring up at the brown stone ceiling. He rolled his shoulder, imaging the concoction swimming around inside. Replacing his blood and pooling behind his eyes.

"It is not trouble. Especially when one is helping a friend." Lion-O watched through half-lidded eyes as Anet sat on a bed nearby. The bed creaked and Anet gave him a smile.

"You don't have to stay..." Everything was distant. It felt as if his body fell away from the world, blackness creeping up on the room. On Anet.

"I know, Lion-O."

There was a flash of black. Lion-O thought he heard a child giggle. He tried to speak, but the world bottomed out before he even opened his mouth.


End file.
